Adjustable brake-beam fulcrum.



PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

J. A. MATTHEWS.

ADJUSTABLE BRAKE BEAM FULGRUM.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 5. 1904.

Mines-s e6 A NTTED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT Urrrcn.

JOHN A. MATTHEWS, OF McKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANlA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 790,736, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed October 5, 1904:. Serial No. 227,305.

1'0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN A. lVIAT'IHEWS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of McKees Rocks, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Brake-Beam Fulcrums, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to brake-beam fulcrums for usein connection with brake mechanisms; and the principal object thereof is to provide a fulcrum for the brake-lever which may be used in connection with a right or left hand beam and readily converted from the one to the other without the necessity of disconnecting the fulcrum from the beam. Heretofore, so far as I am aware, in this class of brake-beam fulcrum it has been necessary to disconnect the fulcrum from the beam and reverse its position in converting it for right or left hand use, or vice versa, thereby entailing considerable labor and loss of time. Now my invention overcomes the existing defects of such brake-beam fulcrums, and. its construction is simple and inexpensive, can readily be converted for use as a right or left hand fulcrum without removing the same from the brake-beam, and is applicable to any of the brake-beams now in use.

My invention may be said to comprise a suitable body portion, preferably made in two pieces and adapted to embrace the flanged portion of the brake-beam, and areversible rocker pivotally supported to said body portion and having a socket therein to receive the brake-lever.

My invention further comprises certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, all of which will be hereinafter mo re fully described,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming part of thisspecification, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the ordinary brake-beam having my newlyinvented fulcrum applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents atransverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken through the brake-beam on a line adjacent the fulcrum. Fig. 3 represents a rocker.

Similar referenceletters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to said drawings, my improved fulcrum is preferably made up of two sections or body-pieces A and A having hooked extremities E, which engage the flanged portion E of the brake-beam F. These hooked extremities E merge from and form part of extensionsf of the body-pieces A and A Said extensions when in position will bear against the center or body portion f of the brakebeam F at each side thereof and are provided with perforations, as represented at D, to receive the rivet cl, which passes therethrough and through similar perforations in the body portion f thereby securing said fulcrum to the brake-beam.

The members A and A of the fulcrum are each provided with an opening A which is preferably rectangular in form, and at each end of said openings depressions B are provided, which preferably taper outwardly and which when in assembled position register with each other, and so form appropriate bearings for trunnions or studs 9, pro ect1ng from the ends of a reversible rocker Gr, the latter being adapted to rock in said opening A". The rocker is a rectangular open frame and is provided with perforations O to receive the pin (not shown in the drawings) for securing the lever'therein. The lever having been properly secured in the rocker, the latter is placed in the opening A, its trunnions resting within the recesses B of one of the members A or A, and the other member will be adjusted in position. and are secured together by means of the rivets D, which pass through suitable perforations provided for the purpose in each of the members A and A Thus it will be plainly evident that my invention provides in a simple and inexpensive manner a reversible fulcrum for brakebeams which is particularly well adapted for the purpose intended, and it will also be apparent that the same can be used as a right or left hand fulcrum, and at the same time it may be readily converted from one to the other without disconnecting it from the brake-beam.

I wish it distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, as it will be evident that the same may be modified, changed, and otherwise varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A brake-beam fulcrum, consisting of a suitable body portion adapted to receive the brake-beam, said portion consisting of two members secured one above the other, said members being provided with a rectangular opening terminating in oppositely-arranged depressions, and a reversible rocker arranged in said openings and having trunnions arranged in said depressions.

2. A brake-beam fulcrum consisting of two sections each having oppositely arranged hooked extremities, a centrally arranged alining opening, means for securing the members together so that the hook extremities will engage the brake-beam, and a rocker adjustably mounted in the opening of the two members.

3. In combination with a brake-beam, of an adjustable brake-beam fulcrum consisting of two members secured together and provided with clamping-hooks at one end to engage the brake-beam each member being provided with a rectangular opening with tapered depressions at opposite ends thereofso that when the sections are together the rectangular openings will aline and the depressions will form oppositely-arranged tapered openings, and a reversible rocker mounted in said rectangular openings and having their terminals mounted in said depressions.

4:. In combination with a brake-beam, of an adjustable fulcrum therefor, consisting of two members having hooked terminals to engage the brake-beam, means for clamping the sections together, a reversible rocker, and means provided in the two sections for receiving said reversible rocker.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. MATTHEWS.

Witnesses:

J. A. RENNIE, A. J. GEIGER. 

